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Martin Luther
Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18,1546) was a German monk,Ewald Plass, "Monasticism", in What Luther Says: An Anthology (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959), 2:964. priest, professor, theologian, and church reformer. His teachings inspired the Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran]] and Protestant]] traditions, as well as the course of Western civilization. Luther's hymns, including his best-known "A Mighty Fortress is Our God", inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity."The last and greatest reform of all music was in congregational song. In the Middle Ages the liturgy was almost entirely restricted to the celebrant and the choir. The congregation joined in a few responses in the vernacular. Luther so developed this element that he may be considered the father of congregational song." from Roland Bainton, Here I Stand: a Life of Martin Luther (New York: Penguin, 1995), 269; Martin Luther, Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants, Truth (4 compact disks)(St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2005). His marriage on June 13, 1525, to Katharina von Bora reintroduced the practice of clerical marriage within many Christian traditions."If he could not reform all Christendom, at any rate he could and did establish the protestant parsonage" from Bainton, 223. Martin Luther's translation of the Bible furthered the development of a standard version of the German language and added several principles to the art of translation. His translation significantly influenced the English King James Version of the Bible. Due to the recently developed printing press, his writings were widely read, influencing many subsequent Protestant Reformers and thinkers, giving rise to diversifying Protestant traditions in Europe and elsewhere. Today, nearly seventy million Christians belong to Lutheran churches worldwide, with some four hundred million Protestant Christians tracing their history back to Luther's reforming work. Biography * Early life of Martin Luther * Monastic life of Martin Luther * Ninety-five Theses * Married life of Martin Luther * Protestant catechisms of Martin Luther * Luther Bible * Augsburg confession * Final years of Martin Luther References Select Bibliography For the works of Luther himself, see List of books by Martin Luther '' ''For books and films about Martin Luther, see List of books and films about Martin Luther * Bainton, Roland H. Here I Stand: a Life of Martin Luther. New York: Penguin, 1995 (1950). ISBN 0-452-01146-9. * Brecht, Martin. Martin Luther. Tr. James L. Schaaf. 3 Volumes. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985-1993. ISBN 0-8006-2813-6, ISBN 0-8006-2814-4, ISBN 0-8006-2815-2. * Kittelson, James M. Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1986. ISBN 0-8066-2240-7. * Oberman, Heiko A. Luther: Man Between God and the Devil. New York: Doubleday, 1989. ISBN 0-385-42278-4 External links Original writings of Luther and contemporaries * Project Wittenberg, an archive of Lutheran documents * [http://www.ctsfw.edu/etext/luther/theses/ Full text of the 95 Theses] * [http://www.bookofconcord.org/smalcald.html Full text of the Smalcald Articles] * [http://www.ctsfw.edu/etext/boc/sc/ Full text of the Small Catechism] * [http://www.bookofconcord.org/largecatechism.html Full text of the Large Catechism] * [http://www.historyguide.org/earlymod/peasants1525.html Excerpts from Against the Murderous, Thieving Peasants] *[http://www.ctsfw.edu/etext/luther/babylonian/babylonian.htm Prelude On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church] *[http://www.godrules.net/library/luther/NEW1luther_c5.htm Commentary on The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), 1521] http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product/?item_no=64210&p=1010575 http://www.bestwebbuys.com/books/series/sid/01090269 Online information on Luther and his work * The Musical Reforms of Martin Luther * KDG Wittenberg's Luther site (7 languages) * Martin Luther – ReligionFacts.com * Memorial Foundation of Saxony Anhalt (German/English) * [http://www.pbs.org/empires/martinluther/index.html Martin Luther – PBS movie] * '' Luther'' – theatrical release * [http://www.ctsfw.edu/luther/article.php Martin Luther: The Reformer Travelling Exhibition] * [http://www.ccel.org/php/disp.php?authorID=schaff&bookID=encyc07&page=69&view=thml New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge article on "Luther, Martin"] * Martin Luther - Eine Bibliographie (German) * Martin Luther * The "seat" of the Reformation - (BBC News) *Catholic Encyclopedia: Martin Luther *Jewish Encyclopedia: Martin Luther *Luther, Martin in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica * Martin Luther and the German Reformation Category:Martin Luther Category:Reformers Category:Reformation